EMPORIA, Kan. -- After hitting nine 3-pointers in the first half and only one the first 19:59 of the second half, ESU's Brandon Hall hit one just over the halfcourt line for the game winner in a 76-75 victory spoiling a 21-point comeback by the Ichabods after trailing by 19 at the half.

Randall Smith hit a lay up with 3.7 seconds to play putting Washburn up 75-73, but a quick inbounds by the Hornets and a launch by Hall gave ESU the win handing the Ichabods their second-straight loss snapping a three-game winning streak over ESU.

Washburn (10-4, 2-3 MIAA) used a 28-8 run over the first 9:25 of the second half taking a 54-53 lead on a 3-pointer by Drew Pyle who finished with a career-high 17 points off the bench.

In the first half, the Ichabods led 11-7 with 16:02 to play after a bucket by David Salach, but ESU would then go on a 22-2 run pushing as the Hornets hit 6 of 7 attempts from 3-point range during the run over a 6:37 stretch. The run would increase to a 28-4 run as ESU continued to hit from deep going 8 of 10 during the run going out to a 35-15 lead.

The Ichabods rallied with a 9-0 run of their own capped by a 3-pointer by Drew Pyle from the corner bringing Washburn within 11 at 35-24 with 4:29 to play in the opening half. 

Washburn trailed by 19 at the break as Emporia State shot 50 percent from the field with 9 of its 13 field goals coming from 3-point range. ESU was also 10 of 10 from the free throw line outrebounding Washburn 20 to 8 in the frame.

Following Pyle's 17 points, Smith finished with 13 and Javion Blake scored 13 as well and David Salach finished with 10. 

Washburn was 26 of 54 from the field overall after shooting 65 percent from the field in the second half hitting 17 of 26 shots. Washburn was 16 of 23 from the free throw line and hit 5 of 11 from 3-point range in the second half.

Washburn will look to snap its two-game slide starting a two-game road trip to Oklahoma starting with Northeastern State on Thursday in Tahlequah.